Welcome to the DAMES of PA We're your source for Discovering the Area's Music and Entertainment Scene in Pennsylvania Bret Alexander - Going the Extra Mile with Giants of Despair By Karyn Albano |
As we arrived at the Fieldhouse in Etters, we discovered the rather large parking lot was
full, not a single spot left in the main lot. After parking in the overflow section on the hill
above the restaurant, we made our way inside. It was standing room only at the bar.
In the dining area, tables close to the stage were filling quickly. No doubt that this crowd
was there in anticipation of a great show from the night’s entertainment, Giants of Despair
(sometimes abbreviated as G.O.D.).
The band, whose name is derived from a steep hill in the Laurel Run section of Wilkes Barre, PA, are Bret
Alexander (vocals, guitars, and mandolin), Jeremy Hummel (drums), and Jason Shaffer (bass) and occasionally,
Nyke Van Wyke on violin. The band plays a mix of classic covers from bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling
Stones, Credence Clearwater Revival and Johnny Cash along with some original songs from Bret Alexander.
The credentials of the gentlemen in this band are quite noteworthy. Alexander is best known as a founding
member/chief songwriter of the Badlees and recording engineer/producer of Saturation Acres studio. Hummel was
an original member of Breaking Benjamin. His drumming is on their first two albums and he toured the country twice
with the band. He is currently in great demand as a session drummer and drum instructor as well as a contributing
writer for Modern Drummer. Shaffer was part of the popular local band, Grantham Road who once opened for
Hootie and the Blowfish and released an album (Parade) which received national airplay. Shaffer has also built a
solid reputation as a recording engineer working out of After 7 Studios in Mechanicsburg, PA. Van Wyke has a
demanding schedule as a highly sought after session musician and was unfortunately not available for this show.
The result of this combo is a crowd-pleasing bar band with experienced
showmanship and classic style.
The band started the first set with Uncommonly Blue from The Cellarbirds Perfect Smile album. More than a few
fans in the crowd knew all the words and were singing along. This is what really made this “bar band” stand out
from the rest – original music as well as the superior musicianship of the band. The clear difference between this
band and other talented local bands is Bret’s original music. The quality and craftsmanship of his songs were the
driving force of the Badlees success and what has built a loyal base of local fans that support him in his various
musical projects.
According to Bret, he wanted to be a musician since his early teens taking up the trumpet in school and then
learning guitar. His first band gig was in high school with a local band from his hometown of Canton PA. Bret
explained that he got the spot because the previous guitarist had gotten into some trouble with the law and his
mother took his guitar away. In the late 80’s, Bret along with guitarist Jeff Feltenberger and drummer
Perfect Smile from the Cellarbirds and Gentleman East, a solo CD are testaments to the depth and range of Bret’s
writing. Such lyrics as, “My heart’s a gnarled tree wrapped inside of me looking for the light that seldom shows,”
from the title song Perfect Smile, paint a stunningly beautiful image both visually and emotionally while the aural
vibe is reminiscent of the Beatles. Gentleman East, Bret’s solo effort released in 2004 was a clear departure from
the pop styling of the Badlees and the classic rock and roll sounds of The Cellarbirds. The influences of Tom Waits,
Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and John Lennon are apparent throughout the songwriting and stripped down
instrumentation. Bret cites I Want to Win in This World, performed with just an acoustic guitar and deep, earthy
vocals, as one of his personal favorites on the album. A longtime fan of Bret’s songs attests,” I listen to his stuff
over and over again and find the many layers
he has built into a seemingly simple song. Each time I discover something new. I think that's one of the big things. At
first blush some of the songs sound deceptively simple, but when you really listen, you realize how amazingly
complex they are. By the same token there is great beauty in simplicity.”
When Bret isn’t writing, performing and recording his own music, he can be found in his studio, Saturation Acres, co-
founded with Badlees bassist, Paul Smith. Saturation Acres has grown into one of the finest recording studios in
the area. Having recorded and produced for a diverse assortment of artists such as Breaking Benjamin, Panacea,
K8, Jared Campbell and John Blair, Bret says he enjoys collaborative work. “When you run out of new ideas of your
own it is a good idea to get other perspectives....which fuels your solo work. It’s a circle. Whatever keeps me
making music is where I go.”
It has now been nearly five years since we’ve had an extended album from
Bret Alexander with many promises along the way of something new to come.
In that time span, he has played live gigs with many different lineups from the
three-piece Cellarbirds, to two-man collaboration with drummer Jeremy Hummel,
to playing solo, to this latest lineup with Giants of Despair. There have been
occasional new songs that have trickled out such as the moody, syncopated
Don’t Ever Let Me Down and the pop-oriented Well Laid Plans, but we eagerly
await another collection.
At the end of the night as we trekked back to our car parked in the outer reaches of the parking area, we talked
about what we enjoyed most about the show. The band played a wide variety of covers which went over well with
the crowd but we agreed that the brightest parts of the evening were when they played songs from Bret Alexander’
s own collection. I was looking forward to popping in a Perfect Smile CD to listen to on the way home when I heard
the opening notes of Uncommonly Blue blaring from a car pulling out of the lot. Someone else was also hungry for
more!
So what can we expect from Bret Alexander in the near future? Giants of Despair will be playing a light schedule
this spring and plans are forming for a studio project in the future. The Cellarbirds have a few shows booked over
the summer. The Badlees have a new album in the works expected to be completed this spring and plan to reunite
for a few gigs this summer.
For more information about Giants of Despair
Giants of Despair
For more information about Bret Alexander
Bret Alexander on Myspace
For more information about Saturation Acres and the Cellarbirds
Saturation Acres
For more information about the Badlees
The Badlees on Myspace
For more information about Jeremy Hummel
Jeremy Hummel
For more information about Jason Shaffer and After 7 Studios
Jason Shaffer
For more information about Nyke Van Wyke
Nyke Van Wyke
For more information about The Fieldhouse in Etters
The Field House on Myspace
full, not a single spot left in the main lot. After parking in the overflow section on the hill
above the restaurant, we made our way inside. It was standing room only at the bar.
In the dining area, tables close to the stage were filling quickly. No doubt that this crowd
was there in anticipation of a great show from the night’s entertainment, Giants of Despair
(sometimes abbreviated as G.O.D.).
The band, whose name is derived from a steep hill in the Laurel Run section of Wilkes Barre, PA, are Bret
Alexander (vocals, guitars, and mandolin), Jeremy Hummel (drums), and Jason Shaffer (bass) and occasionally,
Nyke Van Wyke on violin. The band plays a mix of classic covers from bands such as The Beatles, The Rolling
Stones, Credence Clearwater Revival and Johnny Cash along with some original songs from Bret Alexander.
The credentials of the gentlemen in this band are quite noteworthy. Alexander is best known as a founding
member/chief songwriter of the Badlees and recording engineer/producer of Saturation Acres studio. Hummel was
an original member of Breaking Benjamin. His drumming is on their first two albums and he toured the country twice
with the band. He is currently in great demand as a session drummer and drum instructor as well as a contributing
writer for Modern Drummer. Shaffer was part of the popular local band, Grantham Road who once opened for
Hootie and the Blowfish and released an album (Parade) which received national airplay. Shaffer has also built a
solid reputation as a recording engineer working out of After 7 Studios in Mechanicsburg, PA. Van Wyke has a
demanding schedule as a highly sought after session musician and was unfortunately not available for this show.
The result of this combo is a crowd-pleasing bar band with experienced
showmanship and classic style.
The band started the first set with Uncommonly Blue from The Cellarbirds Perfect Smile album. More than a few
fans in the crowd knew all the words and were singing along. This is what really made this “bar band” stand out
from the rest – original music as well as the superior musicianship of the band. The clear difference between this
band and other talented local bands is Bret’s original music. The quality and craftsmanship of his songs were the
driving force of the Badlees success and what has built a loyal base of local fans that support him in his various
musical projects.
According to Bret, he wanted to be a musician since his early teens taking up the trumpet in school and then
learning guitar. His first band gig was in high school with a local band from his hometown of Canton PA. Bret
explained that he got the spot because the previous guitarist had gotten into some trouble with the law and his
mother took his guitar away. In the late 80’s, Bret along with guitarist Jeff Feltenberger and drummer
Perfect Smile from the Cellarbirds and Gentleman East, a solo CD are testaments to the depth and range of Bret’s
writing. Such lyrics as, “My heart’s a gnarled tree wrapped inside of me looking for the light that seldom shows,”
from the title song Perfect Smile, paint a stunningly beautiful image both visually and emotionally while the aural
vibe is reminiscent of the Beatles. Gentleman East, Bret’s solo effort released in 2004 was a clear departure from
the pop styling of the Badlees and the classic rock and roll sounds of The Cellarbirds. The influences of Tom Waits,
Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan and John Lennon are apparent throughout the songwriting and stripped down
instrumentation. Bret cites I Want to Win in This World, performed with just an acoustic guitar and deep, earthy
vocals, as one of his personal favorites on the album. A longtime fan of Bret’s songs attests,” I listen to his stuff
over and over again and find the many layers
he has built into a seemingly simple song. Each time I discover something new. I think that's one of the big things. At
first blush some of the songs sound deceptively simple, but when you really listen, you realize how amazingly
complex they are. By the same token there is great beauty in simplicity.”
When Bret isn’t writing, performing and recording his own music, he can be found in his studio, Saturation Acres, co-
founded with Badlees bassist, Paul Smith. Saturation Acres has grown into one of the finest recording studios in
the area. Having recorded and produced for a diverse assortment of artists such as Breaking Benjamin, Panacea,
K8, Jared Campbell and John Blair, Bret says he enjoys collaborative work. “When you run out of new ideas of your
own it is a good idea to get other perspectives....which fuels your solo work. It’s a circle. Whatever keeps me
making music is where I go.”
It has now been nearly five years since we’ve had an extended album from
Bret Alexander with many promises along the way of something new to come.
In that time span, he has played live gigs with many different lineups from the
three-piece Cellarbirds, to two-man collaboration with drummer Jeremy Hummel,
to playing solo, to this latest lineup with Giants of Despair. There have been
occasional new songs that have trickled out such as the moody, syncopated
Don’t Ever Let Me Down and the pop-oriented Well Laid Plans, but we eagerly
await another collection.
At the end of the night as we trekked back to our car parked in the outer reaches of the parking area, we talked
about what we enjoyed most about the show. The band played a wide variety of covers which went over well with
the crowd but we agreed that the brightest parts of the evening were when they played songs from Bret Alexander’
s own collection. I was looking forward to popping in a Perfect Smile CD to listen to on the way home when I heard
the opening notes of Uncommonly Blue blaring from a car pulling out of the lot. Someone else was also hungry for
more!
So what can we expect from Bret Alexander in the near future? Giants of Despair will be playing a light schedule
this spring and plans are forming for a studio project in the future. The Cellarbirds have a few shows booked over
the summer. The Badlees have a new album in the works expected to be completed this spring and plan to reunite
for a few gigs this summer.
For more information about Giants of Despair
Giants of Despair
For more information about Bret Alexander
Bret Alexander on Myspace
For more information about Saturation Acres and the Cellarbirds
Saturation Acres
For more information about the Badlees
The Badlees on Myspace
For more information about Jeremy Hummel
Jeremy Hummel
For more information about Jason Shaffer and After 7 Studios
Jason Shaffer
For more information about Nyke Van Wyke
Nyke Van Wyke
For more information about The Fieldhouse in Etters
The Field House on Myspace
Ron Simasek formed Bad Lee White eventually adding singer/front man
Pete Palladino and bassist Paul Smith. Fans shortened the band’s
name to The Badlees and it stuck. The Badlees were the vehicle for
Bret’s songwriting throughout the 1990’s spawning the hits Angeline is
Coming Home and Fear of Falling from River Songs in 1995. While
these may be the songs for which Bret has received the most
commercial success, they offer only a glimpse of the true ability of this
songwriter to touch his listeners.
Pete Palladino and bassist Paul Smith. Fans shortened the band’s
name to The Badlees and it stuck. The Badlees were the vehicle for
Bret’s songwriting throughout the 1990’s spawning the hits Angeline is
Coming Home and Fear of Falling from River Songs in 1995. While
these may be the songs for which Bret has received the most
commercial success, they offer only a glimpse of the true ability of this
songwriter to touch his listeners.
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